Trader in court over child stealing charges

A trader accused of stealing a two-and-half-year-old baby girl at Dansoman has been put before a Circuit Court in Accra.

Cecilia Eshun, charged with child stealing, pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over by Ms Sedina Agbemava granted Cecilia bail in the sum of GH 4,000 with three sureties to reappear on July 24.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Adiza Sulemana, the prosecutor, said the complainant was unemployed and lived in a wooden kiosk at Dansoman last stop. Cecilia claims she is a trader.

On June 8 the accused person was seen sitting on a big stone close to the complainant’s kiosk and was seen playing with some kids, including the victim.

Prosecution said the complainant decided to give the little her bath, but she (the victim) refused to accompany her to the bath house.

Cecilia, prosecution said, asked the complainant to give her water to bath the victim, and she obliged.

After bathing the victim, Cecilia checked the complainant as to whether the victim had eaten, and she (complainant) replied in the negative.

Cecilia offered the complainant Ghc0.70, and she bought the victim Ghc0.70 worth of cooked rice and left to take her bath.

ASP Sulemana said while the complainant was bathing, accused took the victim under the pretext that she was going to buy her ice cream.

After buying the ice cream, prosecution said three witnesses saw Cecilia heading towards another route instead of returning home.

When the witnesses raised an alarm, Cecilia claimed she lost her way home after buying the ice cream. Cecilia went to seek solace at nearby church where she was traced and arrested and handed over to the Police.